


Play With Fire

by accidentalrambler



Series: And We Let It Burn [5]
Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Cassian's wings are healed, Drabble Collection, F/M, Nessian - Freeform, Nesta is a bamf, and I need all the nessian training together fics, and they're training together, because I love trainer!Cassian trope, post acomaf, where everything is nessian and nothing hurts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-19
Updated: 2017-01-19
Packaged: 2018-09-18 14:04:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9388340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/accidentalrambler/pseuds/accidentalrambler
Summary: Cassian has an idea how to make their usual training session even more intersting. Nesta agrees.





	

**Author's Note:**

> P.S. Sorry for reposting this, I'm trying to organize all my acomaf drabbles and put them into series.

Air knocked out of his lungs, Cassian finds himself on the floor, pinned down by the pair of delicate, yet incredibly strong hands.

She managed to distract him. Again.

“Point for me.” The corners of her lips - their rosy shade and the luscious curve of them being the exact cause of his distraction - tip slightly upwards, flicker of satisfaction simmering in the blue of her eyes.

He should be annoyed at himself, at the way Nesta’s so easily won this round but the feeling is overshadowed by the intoxicating smell that hits his nostrils, poppies and honey and something else that he can’t exactly pinpoint. Loose curl escapes her bun and brushes against his cheek as she looms above him, her small frame fitting perfectly against his body.

Their eyes meet and Cassian observes the amusement fade away from her features, can almost feel the breath that hitches in her throat. Nesta’s grip on him loosens and she doesn’t seem to notice as one of his hands rises - slowly, carefully - to twine the unruly lock of hair around his fingers.

He’s well aware there’s something brewing between him and Nesta, has been for a very long time. After Hybern, they were both just so...angry, so lost.

Cassian, with wings that were almost ruined and healing painfully slow, too slow for the warrior, too slow when his High Lady, his friends were out there, fighting the war. And Nesta, this brave and unrelenting woman, trapped in a Fae form - made into something she had learnt to hate throughout her whole life. With immense power rippling through her veins and threatening to swallow her whole.

They were both lost but somehow, in the midst of chaos and blood and war, they found each other. They sought each other out.

Because it wasn’t comfort of their friends and family that they needed. It was arguments and vicious snarls and sparring matches - verbal and otherwise - that made them fight back.

And now, when he’s realized how his blood stirs and rushes through his veins at her proximity, that ineffable tinge in Nesta’s scent calling to him - Cassian wants to fight for more.

With a huff, Nesta yanks away his hand and the moment breaks. She moves to pull back but stops when he loops his fingers around the belt of her fighting leathers, her eyebrow quirking up in question.

“Care to make it interesting, Nesta sweetheart?” he purrs, satisfied with the shiver that crawls over her skin as his words reverberate against her throat.

_He’s dreamt of the subtle arch of her neck and fantasized of sinking his teeth in the valley of her shoulders too many times to count._

“Interesting how?”

“How about a wager?”

A smile that forms on her face is a mocking one. “How is that interesting? So far I’m kicking your ass. Something distracting you, general?” she adds, tightening the grip of her thighs around his hips.

Gritting his teeth, he tries to ignore the heat pulling in his lower abdomen and says, “You shouldn’t have a problem with making a bet then.”

Her mouth is pursed but twitching slightly, as if she’s trying not to respond to the challenge. But after months spent together, Cassian has learnt a thing or two about Nesta and knows how to push her buttons. “Unless you’re afraid you’ll lose?” He taunts, his tone sipping with ‘ _misguided Illyrian cockiness_ ’ as the woman lying in top of him likes to call it.

She looks at him from under her lashes, her regal features seemingly unmoved as she bits out, “Stakes?”

She’s in. Hook, line and sinker.

It’s a strain to keep his expression unchanged when something in him calls to her with every cell in his body, his blood thrumming in harmony with her heartbeat.

_Nesta._

(Beat, beat, beat)

_Come play with me._

(Beat, beat, beat)

“If I win, you’ll allow me to take you out. Show you my Velaris. From dusk till dawn,” Cassian states his conditions, flashing her his signature grin after he notes how she narrows her eyes at him. “What about you?”

“You have nothing I want. Satisfaction of beating you up will be enough.” Nesta’s words are crisp and short as she pulls herself up and looks at him expectantly. “Well? Get up. Let’s get this over with.”

“Yes, let’s,” he drawls, his eyes never leaving hers as he stands up. “I cannot wait to collect on my win.”

“You wish.” With no warning, she throws the first punch, so swift that he barely blocks it.

His chest swells with pride at her skill. _She’s come so far._

“Oh, I wish many things, Nesta Archeron. And then I get them.” He dodges her next few strikes.

Anger flares in her eyes and Cassian can feel a thrum of her power in the air but Nesta manages to control it, to pull it all back and focus on hand-to-hand combat. “Less talking, prick.”

“How milady wishes.” He bows his head, lips twisted in a half-smirk. The gesture irritates his opponent even more and that’s when Cassian chooses to pounce forward, his attack almost successful if it weren’t for Nesta sidestepping at the last second.

They begin the sparring match, or maybe it’s a dance, a clash of two forces and neither wants to yield nor bend. Nesta’s lithe and graceful and agile as she moves, her smaller build making her quicker with her steps than he is. But Cassian makes up the difference with raw strength of his muscles - not to mention centuries of practice that he has going for him.

Minutes pass and the room fills with their laboured breathing, a temperature of air rising and sweat settling on their skin. It’s an even fight for quite some time but in the end, Cassian _is_ older and stronger while Nesta is still growing into her skin. He catches the subtle signs that she’s struggling; a slight furrow of her brows and tightness around her mouth, the tensing muscles. He can tell that it’s her steel determination and unrelenting spirit and iron will that keep her standing straight, that guide her hands to hit its mark and prompt her limbs to move quicker, _better_ than him.

His heart swells with pride and it’s an euphoric and alarming and confusing as hell and more than that, it makes what’s he’s about to do that much harder.

Because with that fire burning inside of her, Nesta might be able to do anything she puts her mind too but -

But she cannot win this fight.

He’s found a weak spot, a fairly insignificant one, but it will do. She’s started favouring her left side minutes ago and now that it’s become evident, it’s time to take advantage. Gradually, he stops parrying Nesta’s blows, allowing her to back him into corner. Arousal stirs in his veins at the victorious satisfied glint in her eyes and he loses his concentration for a second, imagining all the other ways he could bring that satisfaction to her gaze. His wings, safely tucked in for the duration of their sparring, are bursting to emerge, are itching to be touched, to be petted.

It almost costs him the win as Nesta wedges herself between his legs and gets a solid grip on shoulders, using her enhanced strength trying to bring him down. She’s inches from succeeding and Cassian swears - this woman is going to be the death of him.

“Not so cocky now, are you?” She grins in answer to his deepening scowl as he’s straining to keep himself standing.

He remembers his plan though, noting with relief that Nesta’s attack left her right sight unprotected. With efficiency of moves that can only come from experience, Cassian deflects her grip with a pivot that sends her tumbling to the floor, his body following hers as his hands dart out to cradle her head and cushion it against the fall.

It’s an instinct, really.

“I win.” His voice lacks the usual smugness as he pins her to the floor. “I’ll meet you in the House of Wind tomorrow evening.”

She wriggles under his body, her eyes shooting daggers at him. “Fuck you.”

A chuckle leaves his mouth at the insult. “Not on a first date, sweetheart,” he feigns offence. “You’ll have to work for it.”

Her knee jerks up but Cassian swiftly dodges the hit, amusement dancing in his eyes as he stands up. He offers his hand to help Nesta up but the gesture is met with an angry huff. She’s a vision, with her tangled hair and those blazing eyes and he -

He hasn’t been that turned on in a very long time.

But it’s a dangerous line they walk on and he’s got a plan - or more like a war strategy, really - so he does the right thing and backs away. “Till tomorrow, Nesta Archeron,” he croaks out, his throat suddenly dry.

Pivoting on his feet, he turns to the door. It seems like he’s hyper-aware of her every move, of her eyes fixed on his back in what is probably her signature deadly glare.

He’s not aware enough, though.

A crack, a swish of air and her muttered words - ‘ _this isn’t ove_ r’ - are what Cassian manages to register before he finds himself pressed against a hard surface yet again. With his back to the wall, he can’t help but inhale Nesta’s scent, the smell of her hair that tickle his jaw. He could probably escape her grip but before he has a chance to do so, she grabs his neck and pulls him forward and -

Her lips taste divine.

They’re warm and hungry and as agile as her combat moves, leaving Cassian breathless. She’s standing on her tiptoes, her touch bruising as she holds onto his neck and his own hands skim down her slim body, brushing past the curves of her breasts. He palms her ass and she bites on his lip in return, eliciting a guttural groan that she quickly swallows with more kisses.

Finally, Cassian’s hands reach behind her thighs and he props her up, switching their positions and pushing her against the wall at the same time. To his surprise, Nesta doesn’t oppose. No, she hooks her legs around his waist and grinds onto him - _hard_. She repeats the motion, again and again, moaning into his mouth each time his cock glides along her heated center, her fingers playing with the leather band tying his hair and the loose curls that escaped from its hold.

Cassian’s going crazy with the mixed scent of their arousal flooding his senses and her chest pressed to his and then her lips leave his but only so she can nibble on his earlobe, her tongue smoothing the bite of her teeth and his wings are in full spread now, just begging to be touched.

He honestly considers begging her to touch them, to run her nimble fingers along the edges, have her delicate hands pet the membranes just so he can have some relief from this pain of wanting her, of this craving to be consumed by this fire that burns between them when their eyes meet.

He’s on the verge of mumbling it all to Nesta when -

The pressure of her grip around his neck and waist disappears and then her hand lands on his chest, pushing him away and -

Nesta’s struggling to breathe, her cheeks tinged with pink and her gaze feverish as it settles on him but there’s a triumphant smirk curving one corner of her mouth upwards.

Before she even opens her mouth to speak, Cassian knows two things.

One, he might have won the bet but he’s just lost this round. And two -

He’s going to need a shower. A freezing one.

“Till tomorrow, Cassian,” she drawls before making her exit.

Leaning against the wall, he lets out a painful groan. There’s only one thought swirling in his mind as this woman - this cruel, maddening, exquisite creature - leaves him more frustrated than he’s ever been before.

_It is so on, sweetheart. It is on._

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think ;)


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